Repotting Japanese Black Pine

[Shibui]

I also regularly bare root pines - JBP and JRP. Neither seem to be too worried about it so far so I hope they don't hear about it being fatal. Defining 'Bare root': All soil shaken off or scraped out with chopstick reasonably easily. Not washed off clean.
We also have a growing cohort of experienced bonsai growers over here repotting conifers from late summer through to mid autumn. Some also repotting deciduous at that time too, usually less aggressive than in spring root pruning.
Again, very different climate in my little corner but it seems to work.
I have found I can do quite a number of things the experts told us were impossible.
No-one is forcing you to bare root pines or repot other than spring. If you want to keep a closed mind by all means go right ahead.

 

[Adair M]

I read online that a freshly rooted black Pine should be kept in the shade for a week and misted. Is this correct? Should I keep it in the bathroom? Florida heat is coming back and the sun is a scorcher.

That’s totally wrong.

After I repot my pines, I put them right back out in the sun. The sun warms the pots, which warms the roots which encourages root growth. Do keep it watered.

Don’t mist it in the shade. That encourages fungus.

I suggest you watch Boon’s JBP video series. You can now stream them over the internet at a very reasonable cost. Well worth it, especially if you are new to JBP. Go to www.bonsaiboon.com

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I also regularly bare root pines - JBP and JRP. Neither seem to be too worried about it so far so I hope they don't hear about it being fatal. Defining 'Bare root': All soil shaken off or scraped out with chopstick reasonably easily. Not washed off clean.
We also have a growing cohort of experienced bonsai growers over here repotting conifers from late summer through to mid autumn. Some also repotting deciduous at that time too, usually less aggressive than in spring root pruning.
Again, very different climate in my little corner but it seems to work.
I have found I can do quite a number of things the experts told us were impossible.
No-one is forcing you to bare root pines or repot other than spring. If you want to keep a closed mind by all means go right ahead.

I’d be interested in seeing some of your JBP and JRP. Can’t recall you sharing any photos so far...

 

[Billskarsgard]

That’s totally wrong.

After I repot my pines, I put them right back out in the sun. The sun warms the pots, which warms the roots which encourages root growth. Do keep it watered.

Don’t mist it in the shade. That encourages fungus.

I suggest you watch Boon’s JBP video series. You can now stream them over the internet at a very reasonable cost. Well worth it, especially if you are new to JBP. Go to www.bonsaiboon.com

I forgot I created this post. I appreciate your response, but I found out the answer a few days ago when I met Rob Kempinski. You're correct. Google isn't your friend when it comes to bonsai. Thank you

 

[Dav4]

I forgot I created this post. I appreciate your response, but I found out the answer a few days ago when I met Rob Kempinski. You're correct. Google isn't your friend when it comes to bonsai. Thank you

Rob would be your go to for advice on JBP bonsai (and golf) in mid Florida... he's been growing them there for decades, I believe.

 

[LanceMac10]

I forgot I created this post.

I'm a little hurt, how can you forget @Bonsai Nut ?!?!

 

[Billskarsgard]

?

 

[sabstn81]

Hi Billskarsgard,
One thing that I didn't see mentioned in the thread (sorry if I missed it) is that if you're going to repot now, I wouldn't mess with the foliage. Pot it and let it show signs of success, then you can go through and prune later this year. If you do both at the same time, you may stunt it and kill the tree. The tree needs the foliage to regrow the roots. Trust me, I killed plenty when I started and now haven't lost one in several years. Just some more info. Cool tree though.

 

[mrcasey]

Question for Oso: When you talk about mid to late summer repotting of pines, does that include some of the more dramatic
root reduction techniques? I'm talking about things like cutting off the bottom half of the root ball and then bare rooting half the remaining root ball and replacing the soil.

 

[0soyoung]

Yes.

Summer for plants doesn't begins until a week or two after the summer solstice (on or about 21 June in the northern hemisphere). Plants actually sense the passage of the longest day of the year and change their growth mode(s). Just so we're on the same page, mid-August = mid-summer for you and me.

In the spring, there is a window of only 2 to 3 weeks to do this. After the solstice the window is several months wide.
In the summer, all trees have a load of new, highly productive foliage to power root growth and temperatures are higher (than in spring, which means faster growth).

 

[M. Frary]

Question for Oso: When you talk about mid to late summer repotting of pines, does that include some of the more dramatic
root reduction techniques? I'm talking about things like cutting off the bottom half of the root ball and then bare rooting half the remaining root ball and replacing the soil.

I've seen Vance do this quite a few times and have yet to see a tree die.
I do all of my pines at this time,even the supposedly touchy jack pines.
They glide through.